Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins – Spoiler Page

Ok – if you know my spoiler page you know the drill. Anything said on this page is fair game – and we can talk openly about the book here – and believe me – I want to talk about this book so PLEASE leave your thoughts and then stop back to see where the conversation is going.

Ok – lets begin:

First off – what did you think of the whole Gale and Peeta twist? I think this is one of the things that bugged me quite a bit. I openly admitted in my review that I did not have a preference going in to this third book but as I seen (read) how damages Peeta was and what a danger he was – I truly gave my heart and Katniss’s too – to Gale. Gale never pushed her to choose and has always been there for her and her family. And well – obviously as we find out in this book, he is more stable too. To me, it would have made sense to take Peeta out at the end – let him die saving her so she would always have the bitter-sweet memories, but Gale would be the man she wound up with. (Seriously I had no idea I was team Gale).

I missed Cinna who was a fun character and while I understand that some characters have to die, it seems he died between books and that was kind of sad. I felt he deserved more and somehow should have been written into this book even if it was for a little while. I know we had memories of Cinna, but I wanted Cinna.

I liked how they put in the games this time – they were a bit crazy watching where you step and being so careful… I also liked the cat woman who helped them out and allowed rest.

The part where Peeta and Gale are talking while they think Katniss is asleep is sweet, I liked that conversation and gave me a memory of Edward and Jacob (yeah…. I know Twilight geek here) talking over Bella while she slept.

As much as I enjoyed the book I did not like the ending. It wrapped up a little too neatly and I was really bothered that we never have any closure with Gale other than that now he works in another district…. WHA???????

Did anyone else pick up on the Castor and Pollux brothers? In Greek mythology they were twin brothers. But – to be honest, the names struck me for where I remembered them, in the movie face Off with John Travolta and Nicholas Cage – Nicholas Cage was Castor and his brother (who was slower and needed taking care of) was Castor. I wonder which Suzanne Collins was going for or is it a mix of both?

Castor and Pollux - Greek Mythology

Face Off also has two characters who are brothers: Castor and Pollux

I got lost when toward the end the road split and Gale was captured and Katniss talks about seeing the bloody blond ponytail. I did not get until later that was Prim. I am not even sure if I had even known Prim was blond, and I would not have expected to see here there that close to the capital anyway as last I knew, she was safe back in District 13. That whole section of the book seemed to happen too fast and I didn’t know if Katniss was dreaming, hallucinating or what.

I like how the cat came back – and in the end loves Katniss and becomes this memory of Prim.

Then it all wrapped up a bit too neatly with Katniss in the hospital – finally making the kill even thought she turned it on Coin instead of Snow. And then suddenly she is home with Peeta and Gale…. well, I already fumed about Gale going corporate and now working in District 2 which is so out of character it makes me head spin.

I felt the ending seemed rushed and as long as it took us to get to the Capital and do what Katniss had set out to do suddenly it hurried forward and it all just happened…. I felt no anticipation up to the planned killing of Snow. I could have used another 100 pages to sort that through a bit more suspenseful.

I did really like the book – a lot actually, I just didn’t love it. What started out to be an exciting long anticipated read for me fell in my expectations as it neared the end and the potential for a mind-blowing ending to this series was lost. At least for me.

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136 thoughts on “Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins – Spoiler Page”

I don’t know how Katniss could have ended up with Gale – I mean.. she saw her sister destroyed in an attack that she heard first about from Gale – no matter who actually did the attack, she knew Gale was capable of it.

Katniss and Gale are two sides to the same coin. They are both hardened fighters and Katniss needed someone softer – but someone who also could see her for who she is, all of her faults, and love her in spite of them. I had no idea I was “Team Peeta” until he was broken by Snow and then the tears couldn’t stop falling.

I really liked the story and the pacing. Although I was confused in some parts I just forced myself to slow down and re-read them and then the full horror of what I was reading hit me. After all – this wasn’t a love romance story. This was a story about war and the human behavior and I think Collins captured it well.. so well in fact I struggled with picking up another book because I felt as if I was dealing with a little PTSD.

And the ending – the ending was perfect. Katniss had struggled with the idea of having children so just knowing that she had enough hope in mankind and enough faith in both herself and Peeta to have children tears me up.

I couldn’t have asked for a better book to finish the trilogy. Fantastic, fantastic stuff.

We never got a chance to see Gale like we did peeta, I think Gale is sweet and could have For sure been soft with Kat. They both are fighter so they could have had each others back, I wish we got more Gale, I think Suzanne should have just made it about peeta and not let Gale have any feelings for Kat b/c now I feel Gale got the short end of the stick. Like really prim had to die and it so happens to be a bomb that Gale help make…. Really!! NOOOOOO, why kill prim!!!! I think it was a easy way out so she could chose Peeta, and don’t get me wrong Peeta is nice and sweet but I feel like he is sort of weak…. I know I hate to say it but I do. And the actor that plays peeta is a great actor but why is he so smaller than Kat…. Like nooooo. I know peeta suppose to be average height but it don’t look right to me having Kat tall and peeta short. I just wish Suzanne would have made Gale just a friend don’t have them kiss if you not going to give Gale a chance to show his soft side!!! Team Gale

I totally agree with there being now much about gale like at the end where Katniss doesn’t even say much about him when they were best friends and inseparable? I just wish there was more about gale at the end like all we readers find out is that gale works in district 2 with a flash job does he still love Katniss or what? And I also don’t understand how it is just peeta Katniss the Cook lady and Hamitch only in district 12 what about all the others why are they all separated and not together it still feels like it is the Capitol and then the less fortunate districts
Overall it was an amazing book

I think we saw a little bit in the second book how Gale really was. It was clear that he was spoiling for a fight.

Not mention what did Katniss really know about Gale? Nothing really. They’d been friends for years and she didn’t even know how many girls he’d kissed. I think the thrill with Gale was that he was attractive and a manly kinda guy.

I don’t know that he had her best interests at heart. Sure he left her alone to decide to become the Mockingjay. But he wanted that for her. I don’t think he stopped to thinknwhat it was going to do to her.

I am going to have to re- read that whole section. I did get messed up there and confused on what happened.

I would love to see these books become movies – I wonder who would play the lead roles. I thought of that as I read this book, would my opinions differ if I seen this on the screen as opposed to how it plays out in my head?

I wasn’t surprised that she ended up with Peeta. Throughout the book you can feel Gale and Katniss drifting apart – and honestly after Prim died you knew that things between them could never be the same.

I didn’t sense that drifting Kat until it was upon us at the Capital. I thought he was just being patient with her and not pushy…. again I think I have Twilight brain and am bringing Edward back to the mix as he was so patient with Bella and Jacob. I liked Gale’s strength and while as Lydia said here that Gale and Katniss were just too alike, I guess that is how I seen them together- fighting and holding strong to their beliefs. Guess I am still denial. 😉

Don’t be in denial Gale and Kat would have been great together!!!! If we would have got to know Gale A LOT MORE, I bet Gale would have been so sweet to Kat. And when it came to a fight him and Kat could have kick tale together!!!! They could have been my Buffy and Angel minus the vampire part and the slayer part.

I was team Gale until after I finished the book and had time to think about it. Then, I thought that was the best ending, because, yes, Gale was a bit too mysterious in Mockingjay….he had some secrets.
I did have to re-read some passages too.
I was dissapointed that the book finished up so fast, as I too, would have liked to known more about what happened, but then, I guess that’s what a good book does…makes you sorry it’s over.

I’m with you – I thought for sure she was going to end up with Gale and that Peeta was going to die. I’ve considered myself a team Peeta person just because I like him better and thought I would prefer them being together, I just thought the other ending would be more realistic. Now I don’t know.

I guess Peeta’s really the only one who could understand what she’d been through, but I too thought the ending felt too rushed. Peeta just shows up all fixed and ready to help Katniss get better again. We don’t get to see any of his healing process. And then, I would think that there would be some residual emotions left from the brainwashing no matter how much they treated him.

And now that you mention it, why don’t we get to see more of what happens to Gale?

Alyce right – I just read an interesting comment on Natasha’s (Maw Books) blog from a person names Heather.

She has an interesting concept that I actually find fitting – she says that perhaps when Katniss goes to visit Snow – she is “hijacked much like Peeta was) and her memories are false… she backs this up witht he fact that they never say it is Prim that dies – Katniss believes it is – and how interesting that Snow is captive in his own room….. she also mentions it is odd at the end that everyone dissapears except Peeta and she doesn’t name her children but refers to them as the boy and the girl…… hmmmmm…

Sorry but I don’t see how this theory would fit, because I think they make it clear that Prim dies. They make it absolutely clear. First of all, when Katniss wakes up in the hospital after the bombing in the Capitol, she says that doctors and a lot of people are telling her how things turned out, and she says that they tell her that her mother is mourning in her job, so it’s clear that her mother is mourning over losing Prim. Secondly, when she meets Gale the day of Snow’s execution and they talk about the bomb, he says that the only thing on his side was that he could protect her family (which I think is not the only thing, since he is who knows her better, her oldest friend, etc) and know he failed at this. So this is another clear statement that Prim is dead.
Lastly, I believe that the en of the story, though sad, is real, Prim is dead, Katniss knows it, and the spark that started ALL of it (Katniss volunteering to save her sister), for me, has faded, and makes me feel that all was pointless (I know that the point of the whole trylogy is not save Prim, but this was Katniss’s goal anyway in the beggining).

I know it’s been a long time, but I just finished reading de saga yesterday (I read the three books in two weeks), and I am so depressed I was looking for something here (the internet) that made me see things differently. As part of my own “therapy” to overcome the finale of the book, and because I’ve always been Team Gale, I even wrote my alternative ending where Katniss ends up with Gale, but Peeta has a good ending too. So if someone feels like reading it (it’s just a couple of scenes) it’ll be great to hear your opinions! The link is:http://rachel1204.wordpress.com/

I have so much to say! This is a book that does not leave you alone. You can not finish it and go on with your life. It haunts you and forces you to think about deep issues like war and human nature. I would love to read an interview with Collins and hear what she has to say about her purposes and themes in the novel.

Overall this book is depressing. Like someone said above, it is not a romance; it is a war story. We are constantly faced with the tragedies of war. For soldiers. For civilians. For children. Collins obviously wants us to face the harsh realities of war. I’m not sure however that she condemns war. The Capitol is evil, and their intent to overthrow it is noble. That in itself I can handle. The part that blew my mind is the character of Coin and the insinuation that the new government may become corrupt.

The book disappointed me in many ways, but the biggest way is that Katniss voted yes to another Hunger Games. Seriously??!! This is a plot twist that I cannot swallow. It is not in character for Katniss or Haymitch. I don’t know how after “weighing her options carefully, thinking everything through” (page 370) she votes yes!

I could go on, but that’s enough for now. I’m thankful for a spot to share and hear from others about this book.

Go Heather – I like discussing and talking through this read it helps me process things too – read my comment above that I wrote to Alyce….. I love peoples different thoughts and emotions come out of this. For that alone – I should love the book as a great discussion read…. 🙂

I was confused as to why she voted yes too. I couldnt stop thinking about it! It’s so out of character! But then I realised that saying yes was the only option she had. We already know that Coin disliked her and wanted her out of the picture because of what Boggs tells us, so saying no might mean she would lose her chance to kill Snow. I think it’s it’s here that she figures put Coin would make a corrupt government.
When Katniss sayings “For Prim” is a big give away because Prim would never want another Hunger Games even if it was Capitol children (didn’t she go on to save them!).
As for Hamitch I think he figured out Katniss’ intentions and so he had to help her out once again.
Hope this helps.

She was already designated to kill Snow, that was absolutely clear, so I’m unable to accept this theory for voting yes.. When Coin presented the idea of another Hunger Games with Capitol children, my reaction was exactly as Peeta’s: NOOO! I can’t believe she said yes and of course Prim would have never wanted that, and I really really hope those last Games never became real.

Did you catch that she kills Coin, not Snow in the end? I didn’t the first time because I was reading so fast. (Snow dies from either being crushed or choking. No one is sure.) Her decision to vote yes, is probably solidified by her conversation with Snow about who really killed Prim, and Coin’s idea for another Hunger Games. Katniss votes yes to stay in Coin’s favour because she is already hatching a plan to kill Coin instead of Snow. She knows Panem will be stuck in a vicious cycle of revenge if she doesn’t stop Coin. Otherwise all their struggles will have been for nothing. If she objects during the vote, it might give Coin a reason to remove her, etc. She says “for Prim” as a hint to Haymich hoping he knows how Prim really died. Even if he doesn’t know, he somehow trusts her to have a good reason for voting the way she does and follows her lead. I think he did know, because he hints at his own rebellion against Coin by saying “I’m with the Mockingjay.” Brilliant!

The reason Katniss choses Peeta over Gale is a vehicle to reinforce the book’s primary message, that war messes with people. What happens to Gale is a very realistic depiction of what can happen in that regard. Gale’s hatred for the Capitol, while understandable, leads him to some dark places, such a the strategy of the double-exploding bomb he creats. That bomb is intended to kill innocent helpers as they rush in to help the victims of the first blast, thus taking out more of the “enemy”. But who are the enemy? Innocent helpers? It gets murky. He stops seeing any humanity in his opponents and sees them more like prey. (This was hinted at as Katniss would visit Gale and Beetee as they worked on traps.) In so doing, he loses some of his own humanity. He may not be directly responsible for killing the children or Prim, but in light of Prim’s death, the mentality behind his weapons is too much for Katniss to bear. She says so herself in the end. She wants to be done with revenge, released from hate. I think one of the main points of the book is that war always has an element of self-righteousness to it, or “just cause”, but that even when there seems to be such a clear line between villain and hero, it’s very easy to become the monster you set out to destroy. That chilling point was brought home when Coin announced the plan for another Hunger Games.

I think the story does have a strong anti-war message. It’s very true to history too. Many times, the “rebels” in a wars have turned out to be as brutal if not more so than the ones they replaced. Communist Russia is a classic example, but there are many, many others. Revenge is very dangerous to the human soul and once you’ve give your opponent a reason to hate you more, the cycle of violence never ends. When Coin announces the two impossible choices, you’re supposed to feel like you’ve just been sucker-punched, that everything you’ve read up until now has been pointless. It highlights the complete absurdity of it all. I’m glad she gives us a glimpse of hope with Peeta, though. We needed that at least. I was team Gale at first, but as I saw the war’s effect on him, I knew she wouldn’t pick him. Then I feared something would happen to Peeta too. I just couldn’t bear to think he’d never be his old self. I think I let out an audible sigh of relief when he showed up in her front yard. I found the ending so incredibly touching and profound. All the parts came together. The sadness and the hope, Peeta’s unmistakable kindness returning, and the healing they provided each other. Still, there was that underlying fact that the war and the grief had changed them forever.

I have to say that I loved to read your point of view. I agree with almost all that you say. Havent been able to put it in to Words though. Thanks for doing that for me. I just finished the books after seeing the movies. Just had to know how it ended. Must say I was team Peeta all the way. Gale lost to much of him self in the war. Just see at “the nut” he was willing to kill everbody in there. Where Katniss wanted to save as many as possible. ( I know it got her shot but still ) Peeta stayed true to himself. Cant wait till the Next movie comes out. 🙂

This is just what I thought about her vote, too. I lived the whole series, including book 1, fearing that Peeta would die, and I was relieved he came back too. Peeta and Katniss connection went back much further than her connection to Gale. Perhaps Gale was “damaged” by this war much earlier than we tend to think. When his own father is blown up in the mine and he has to take over the care of his mother and siblings. It is Gale who asks Katniss in the very beginning, will it be much different to kill a person than an animal.

I think she voted yes for Prim, because she wanted to get revenge on Coin for Prim. She knew that Snow was already going to die, and she knew that Coin was just like him. (in a sense that she wanted another Hunger Games) Therefore, she felt that she needed to kill Coin.

I sort of wanted Katniss to stay single until the end..I just think it’s not really necessary for her to be with someone. I also wanted her to stay best friends with Gale, just because of their history, and remain “friends and later on, more” with Peeta.

Is it just me too but the killing of Snow was just a little anticlimactic?

Jillian – I thought that a bit too… like why does she have to end up with either?

And Jill oh my gosh go over to Maw Books blog and read the comments towards the end written by Heather….. her comments are blowing me away because I think she is right and that means that the majority of us git the ending wrong – me included…. (and I am a little thankful for that!) 🙂

I triple loved this book, and I agree with everyone here who says that the point was to show the horrors of war-including the long periods of waiting for something to happen, or the emotional breakdowns that happen, or the very skewed, twisted thought processes of everyone involved.

That is my rationale for why Katniss voted to put the leadership’s children in a Games. By then she had seen Cinna, Finnick, and Prim die-not to mention the people from her Hunger Games, and the countless others she knew in District 12. She had seen Peeta tortured, as well as her prep crew and Annie. She herself had been injured in countless ways, and psychologically tortured by Snow. I was bothered by her decision at first as well, but thinking on it I think it is completely in keeping with the message that Collins is making about war. I screws us up, changes our perspective, dehumanizes us in some way.

As for Gale, I was so hoping that she would not end up with him, because as the book progressed he became more and more violent-and seemingly happy about it. The fact that he enjoyed making those inventions designed to do horrible things to human beings creeped me out. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to him, but I was pretty much over him as a character by the time the book ended. That said, I am teamless-I would have been just as happy if she had ended up with neither of them.

Heather – great comments! I know I have to read the middle to the end of this book again…. I didn’t catch that Gale was becoming meaner…. I thought they were just doing what they had to do to survive. (This is what I get for hurrying through the book to get it done before I read anything about it) 😀

I really did love the book and loved the way it ended. I was Team Katniss, but I preferred Peeta over Gale (I really hated Gale). Gale turned out to be the person I thought he was, and Katniss slowly came to realize Peeta was what she needed. I loved that. But what I really loved was that so much focus was NOT on the love triangle. There was way too much of that in Catching Fire. I loved that so much more of this was on the psychological scarring that war brings.

I agree about the love triangle Amanda – I liked that it was more about the games and the Capital. I kind of was team Katniss too – I didn’t really have a preference for her until Mockingjay started and then I really liked Gale’s strength and thought he was a good match for her.

I will have to read your spoilers- I am loving the discussions going on!

I was wondering whether no one felt sad about that lack of closure with Gale, because no one I spoke to felt bothered by that. I’m glad we are in the same boat. I felt it harsh that Gale didn’t come to see Katniss when she was so emotionally lost at home – no parents, no Prim. I’m sure Gale realized that he could not have a future with Katniss, but c’mon, they are (were) best friends! You don’t ditch best friends, ever!

Other than that, the part of Prim dying bothered me. Even I was wondering if Katniss was dreaming or what. Those parts were written in a too poetic a manner, which tallied well with Katniss’ state of mind, but ended up confusing me.

I was upset they didn’t mention Gale in the ending too! Which they should have along with Johannaand Haymitch. They should have had these two in the end too because they were vivctors like Katniss and Peeeta and they were also affected in the Games and the war.

Given the fact that he very likely created the bomb that killed her sister, I am not surprised that Gale stayed away. I would have been surprised if she wanted him there. I think that it is a shame that their friendship was essentially destroyed, but as someone said in a commentary I read today, Peeta seemed to be the only one who was able to maintain at least a shred of his humanity, even after the brainwashing.

The direction that Collins took Gale was a huge disappointment for me. Not that I had my heart set on Katniss and Gale, but those few scenes where he was so war-mongering seemed out of character. And then Katniss being so unforgiving really chapped my hide.

And Peeta never worked for me in any of the books. He had no charisma…I know people like how caring he was, but his character always felt a bit flat to me.

Gale totally did have more fire, but as Katniss says, so does she. A good partner in life is someone who isn’t just like you, but complements you. Those two were great friends (and I have to believe they’d eventually find their way back to that) but she and Peeta fit a bit better (he’s soft where she’s hard.)

I loved it, loved it, loved it!! As much for how thought-provoking it is as for what a good read it is.

Like you, I was sort of rooting for Gale – he seemed like he was Katniss’ soul mate – but this book made it clear that he had been ruined by hatred and revenge. Throughout the book, his focus on winning the war at any cost and his seeming coldness with respect to human life bothered Katniss more and more. Then, when she realized that the bomb that killed her sister and all those other kids was almost certainly created from Gale’s ideas, she just couldn’t ever love him the way she used to. He changed.

I had never seen Peeta and Katniss ending up together, but I though the ending was appropriate and right – they were both damaged by their experiences but healed together.

The one piece I really hated was at the end when the victors (what an oxymoron, right?) voted and Katniss said yes to one more Hunger Games. I get that she was totally destroyed by her sister’s death, but I just thought she would never, never vote yes for another Hunger Games. Though maybe, it was symbolic and she knew even then that she would kill Coin – ? Anyway, I was yelling at the book at that point, and my husband was saying, “It can’t hear you…and don’t give anything away!” He can’t wait to read it next.

I finished the book last night but am still completely blown away by the deep questions Collins brings up – I can’t wait to write my review!

Thanks for providing a place to talk about it – I was dying to discuss it with someone!!!

Katniss agreeing to another hunger games really threw me ..after all that she went though , I didn’t think she would want that for anyone even the capitol. But maybe she had already decided to kill Coin. ?

like others, I was glad that there wasn’t a focus on the love triangle , as much as as I love paranormal romance, its nice to read something that is darker, deeper and the romance is more of a side thing.

so, Prims, death even though i was really sad about it but it added the whole full circle to the story since it started with Katniss saving Prim from the Games.

I did want some more closure for Gale but it did make sense that he stayed away because he knew that he was responsible for Prim’s death but he just disappeared from the story

I was also sad that Cinna died between books , I agree that he should have been in this book

I really liked the ending and that she decided to have children because she didn’t children since she didn’t want to he kids to be in the reaping. I’m glad they were able to heal together and have a family

i picked up on that castor and pollux thing too. i knew it was from myhtology but i didnt get it in book, and i asked my english teacher she told me to google it up and thats how i got here. anyways the book is great. i didnt know i was team Peeta until the part where he tells them that htere is going to be an attack in 13. i cried when his blood was all over floor.
i didnt like the prim dying part it just made me cry. it all happened too quickly. i didnt even know if it was her who died, but i found out later and cried. 😦 . i also creid when they have children at end and how katniss’s family falls apart becuz of the whole mockkinjay thing. its ironic really, i didnt expect prim to die and her mother to go to district 4 (was it) and especially gale to go to district 2 and leave katniss behind. u know how katniss says that gale might be kissing another pair of lips, i didnt like that part i totally knew how katniss was feeling there, but then katniss kisses peeta too. so its all good. I LOVE MOCKINGJAY! i was thinking about getting a pendent of a mockinjay (the bird mockinjay,,…..that would be awesome if i coluld find it)

I found this on another website concerning why katniss voted yes to another hunger games

Okay, so remember in Mockingjay near the end when the few remaining victors were voting on whether they should instate another Hunger Games using Capitol children? That was one of the most horrible, angering parts of the book for me, and many others I have reason to believe, but I’ve recently came up with an idea. So you know how Katniss and Haymitch have always had that thing going on where they can communicate without words? Like in THG when Haymitch sends her things and she can tell the messages he’s trying to convey? Well, I think that they used their little subliminal messaging in that part of Mockingjay.

If you remember, Coin says that they should have another Hunger Games with the Capitol’s children and the Victors have to vote on it. Coin has never trusted Katniss, as Boggs points out earlier, and Katniss has been told that it could have been Coin’s idea to put Prim on the front lines of the battle, the reason for Prim’s death.

Katniss weighs on her decision long and hard, finally looking at the white rose, the symbol of Snow, and answers to Coin, “Yes, for Prim.”

Peeta is outraged when she says this (as any sane person should be -but that’s another thread) but Haymitch nods and says “I’m with the Mockingjay,”

Now I think that what Katniss meant by her, “Yes, for Prim,” was not that her sister would want the Hunger Games reinstated -as I have believed up until this realization- but I think she meant that she was going to kill Coin, for Prim. She was agreeing with Coin’s idea to get on her good side, and blindsight her with the murder. Haymitch knows this because of his and Katniss’s connection and agrees with her, this is why he is not shocked or angry with her during her trial after she does kill Coin. He knew and supported her plan all along.

As a final note, why did Katniss look at the white rose and think about Snow, consiously or not, before she gave Coin her desicion?

I wish I had found this thread the first time I read the book, but since I just finished my reread I guess now is just as good as this time last year. I think Gale gave up too soon, but I also think he thought that in the long run Peeta would be better for Katniss than he would be. Katniss lost all of her fire by the end of the book, she was barely making it from one day to the next. Something inside of her was damaged in a way that was never going to be fixed, just as Peeta had undergone his own hijacking, and was never going to be the same again. They had a new understanding of each other and the knowledge that each of them was going to need some space and time to start living life again more fully. It did feel like it wrapped up too fast, like the last fourth of the book speed by with one change after another. Even though Gale developed or talked about the weapon or attack plan that killed Prim I think that Katniss could have forgiven him, but he was driven to live out some of the dreams that he had only ever been able to talk about in the woods. He didn’t have the patience to stay with her and used the excuse that he thought she would never forgive him for what he thought she saw as his part in killing Prim. That all said, I was Team Gale for all three books.

I hated the ending initially but feel it is appropriate now. She chose who she needed to survive. I wanted her to end up with Gale since he was more stable, had similar interests, and seemed to understood her better. But in the end, she needed Peeta. By then, she was totally broken, and no longer the girl she once was. Gale knew this like he knew she would never be able to forget his part in Prim’s death. He knew he had no chance, and let her go. Still, I’m sure he’s the one who got the things she cared about back to her (Dad’s jacket, family medical book, locket).

I think Collins assassinated Gale’s character at the end of the book. Why say his fire was “hate-filled”. Throughout the series, Gale was constant. He was her equal, her best friend, and the one she looked to most. Gale loved her but was not afraid to disagree with her. He looked out for everyone– Katniss, her family, his family, District 12, Prim, the cat, and Peeta (saved him). He was a pragmatist in war, and learned hard lessons. Collins shouldn’t have made him seem shallow at the end (big job District 2, on TV). It was inconsistent.

Peeta’s warmth is great, but his complete love for Katniss made him a one dimensional character. For most of MJ, he is completely unstable, and even dangerous. Katniss never seems in love with Peeta, but shares a deep connection. Not until the last page does she state she loves him– and she grew to love him. She needed his brightness to survive. As Gale said, she’ll chose the one she needs to survive.

I think Mockingjay had a way of making us forget how much she learned to love Peeta in Catching Fire. They spent times together talking on the roof, he painted the herb book with her, she started noticing his eyelashes, lol, the times on the train, when he almost died, and finally the kiss on the beach. She had feelings for Peeta but she never really got to tell him before he was hijacked, except for that brief hint on the beach when she said “I need you!” I was mad at Mockingjay for not giving us more time for Peeta to be back in her life, but the “real or not real?” moments at least helped.

I think it was quite clear in Mockingjay that Gale’s hatred for the Capitol was starting to consume him and was separating him from Katniss on a philosophical level. They had different ideals in the end. I do sort of wish we’d seen a little more redemption for him, somehow, but in real life, that’s just not always how it goes. Sometimes even best friends just drop out of each others’ worlds. It’s sad, though:(

I find it very believable that Gale would turn into such a war-monger himself. Being whipped almost to death in Catching Fire, just sets him up for a course of hate and revenge. What he goes through in the second book, directly correlates to the actions he takes in the third.

I find it necessary to look at the three books as one large book, instead of dividing the parts up. If you look at it as one long stream of events, everything falls into place for me. His anger boils up from the beginning, wanting to run off together.

However, the one thing I don’t like is that Katniss to me never seems to have enough backbone to support the role her character is set out to support. Even in the second book, I spent most of my time thinking to myself, why oh why do others have to make all the choices for her? To me it is insupportable having a central “heroine” that can’t even think on her own, and when she does, ends up in the wrong conclusion. I’ve never been team Katniss…Peeta, with his warmth, steadiness, and inward strength will always have my vote.

I totally agree that you have to take the whole story as a whole, and it’s actually not until the last few pages that it all falls into place, and very well, actually. I think I wish Katniss had a little more agency too, but maybe it’s more realistic that it happens the way it does, particularly because she’s still considered a “child” in many ways. She’s also quite impulsive and flawed but maybe that makes her more relatable. Love Peeta. I think he’s made me change my mind about the type of guy I usually go for. Nice guys should finish first! 😉

“Being whipped almost to death in Catching Fire, just sets him up for a course of hate and revenge.”

But can’t you say the same thing about Katniss? She was purely driven by her hatred and Snow and wanting to get revenge on him.

It doesn’t matter that she never wanted to be part of the rebellion, the fact is that she was part of it -she helped start it. Katniss comes off as nothing but selfish and whiny. To make her a great heroine, she should have put the interest of the people of Panem above her own. But she never does. She doesn’t do anything unless there’s something in it for her. Lots of lives were lost in the rebellion but they don’t matter since they didn’t directly effect her.

And she kills Coin out of revenge for Prim. No other reason. We’re never led to believe that she won’t get to kill Snow if she votes ‘no’ to another hunger games.

And to make it clear – and I think Ms Collins does this on purpose (even though it’s bad for the story in my opinion) – we never find out exactly what role Coin played or if it was in fact Gale’s bomb design ( which as designed to be used in combat). And it was just that – a design. We’re never led to believe he built the bomb. If anyone actually built it, it was Beetee.

If Prim means so much to Katniss and if Gale’s her best friend, why doesn’t she try to find out the truth of the bomb?

What give Katniss the right to be judge, jury and executioner of Coin? Even if Coin did order the bombing, it wasn’t right for her to just execute her like that. Especially after she complains through the first two books how the Capitol treats people and the first half of the third complaining about how D13 treats people. She acted like Snow would have.

I was rooting for Gale but I’m glad he didn’t wind up with her. He deserved much better.

See I felt that peeta and katniss needed to be together but I hated how they never had an acrylic conversation between the two that balanced out their love. Also what reallt made me mad is katniss has always been this kick butt girl that was the face of the rebellion she kust ended up being deemed as insane for killing coin and was never mentioned again? Those two things are what made me the most mad. I also agree with the death of cinna needing to be more honorable and i feel that the death of finnick was unneccisary. Just my thoughts. 🙂

I agree with most of you. I think that the ending of the book was rushed. I needed more pages to clarify many doubts. First about Boggs, when he dies he said “don’t trust anyone”. Then, Coin, what’s going on with her? And when Gale just leaves and, what? Katniss never talk to him? I was wondering at the end of the book, did Katniss stayed with Peeta because Gale was gone? I mean, the whole time she did that: attached to anyone who is near her.

I know that this book is not a love story, but, Katniss must at least had a conversation with Peeta, and explain her feelings. I think she never does. All the time she is thinking, but she never speak up.

I just read all three books for the first time and finished them in 5 days. It was amazing to me how none of the characters were the same at the end of the third book. I think this may be the point. It is obvious that Peeta and Katniss have changed, and their changes are very evident. I think the Gale has alway been more open to violence as a way of change, it was even hinted at in the beginning of the series with his rants about the government in the woods. While Gale has always wanted to change everything, Katniss is just thrown into the situation and her goal is to survive. She is brave when she has to be, but it is not something she actively seeks out. This being said I was not surprise at Gale’s change. It was bittersweet but it goes with the message that a new government can be as bad as the first. More important is the message that war changes everyone, nobody gets out unharmed. This includes Gale, and he changes into someone in the end that many feel he would not have changed into. Then again, who would have thought that Peeta would have tried to kill Katniss? War does unexpected things to people.

I agree with many that the third book ended too too quick. I felt myself reading like I was trying to catch up with the story. I’m still confused as to how I feel about the book. When Katniss votes for the continuation of the Hunger Games I’m completely shocked. It goes against everything that she is. It seems to me that all the stress and drugs have her confused about everything. However, when Katniss is to shoot Snow and gets Coin, I felt like that was a moment of clarity for her. She realizes that this new form of government is not better then the one that she has been working to take down. I think that she realizes her efforts and everyones death will be for nothing with this new government. She has been told what to do often in this book and as her last stand she takes out Coin. (There are two heads to every coin)

This is a book about war and the love story was a side item that I did enjoy. For me the love story was the ‘hope’ at the end of the war. Throughout the book I was torn on who I liked better for Katniss. Peeta is my favorite character, (well tied with Cinna) in my mind Peeta stands for the good in humanity. However, Gale was her best friend and that played a factor for who she should be with. I did feel that Peeta loved her so much he would let her go, while Gale was just waiting for her to pick him. In the end I was glad she ended up with Peeta, they understood each other in a way that her and Gale never could, having not been with her during the games or understand how the Capitol and district 13 had abused and thrown these two into the revolution. I also agree with the opposites attract idea, she needed his humanity and he needed her strength. Also in my mind, since Peeta represented the good in humanity it was fitting that he would have children and carry on. I enjoyed the fact that he helps Katniss see the good in humanity to have children and carry on. I did however feel like I would have like a more defined ending of Gale and Katniss and the new beginning of Peeta and Katniss.

Although the book was fast paced and I have so many questions, and would have like it to move slower, that may have been the point. It short of makes you feel like how Katniss must have felt. Also there are so many unanswered questions that, in the end it’s hard to sort thought your thoughts and decide how you feel about the book. A few weeks after reading the book I still wonder about it and maybe that is what this book was meant to do. Very effective.

Did you think that Katniss planed all along to kill Coin? And she just went along with the new Hunger Game to get her off her back? And did it bother you that she didn’t give Peetas and Katniss’s children names?

Good question…. I dont know. And it didnt bother me about the names.. I guess I never thought about it… perhaps it was startegic on the authors part – not giving us too much of a peek into their lives? I dont think Suzanne Collins as going for the nice neat wrapped in a bow package here on this one. I think it was more of a series that she ended letting us know that life can go on, even when the world has fallen apart around us and that it isnt always what we had hoped.
By giving us too manay details I think that takes away the starkness of it.

I am totally team Gale. End of. Since the first time I met Gale, before we even met Peeta, I fell in love with his character – he was always so sweet and caring to Katniss and they seemed like a match made in heaven.
Maybe this is just because I love Gale, but Peeta annoys me SO much. He seems really insistent and he makes Katniss uncomfortable. He knows that by insistently playing that he can’t live without her blah blah blah he can get her. Yeah – so what, he gave her bread…well without Gale she would have starved to death long ago.
I was seriously disappointed and pleased with the ending. Firstly, I thought the whole series was well written, and I understand what Suzanne was trying to imply with the whole war thing and I do get that it can’t all be smiley because this is not really a romance – it’s more about human nature and stuff. (That’s the pleased bit).
BUT in terms of being lost in the characters and ignoring the overall meaning of the book, I was disappointed. Peeta comes back with some sort of terrifying mental condition and she casts Gale aside? And all this time Gale has been so patient. Honestly, it killed me to remember how he told her he loved her in Catching Fire.
And I hate how the ending with her big victory was totally….I don’t know how to explain it…lost? The whole book was a build up to whatever was going to happen in the Capitol and then it just gets confused into a muddled couple of pages, ending with her back in district 13. Everything that happened is just stated, we don’t even learn about how they captured Snow or anything. Ergh.
On top of it all, she blames Gale even though I can’t see how it’s his fault. So what if he might have invented the bomb – he didn’t use it, not in a million years. Just like it wasn’t enough for Katniss just to BE the mockingjay…she had to actually do something for anything to be of significance. And then she goes all hyprocritical and hates Gale.

But that’s not all. What really annoys me is how she never sees him again. All might have been fine if she married Peeta – because I kinda saw that coming – and then Gale came back and they sort of settled it between them. Maybe a mention of a wife of Gale’s, or even just an acknowledgement of their incerdible friendship. But nothing. And that’s what got me most.

Oh yeah, one more question. When she killed Coin she remembered Snow saying how they never lied to each other. I don’t understand how killing Snow would be lying to him…I’m not sure how that panned out really. Any ideas?

I respectfully disagree. My favorite part about mockingjay was the ending. It seemed real to me that they were so messed up by the end of it all. And to be honest it never crossed my mind that she would end up gale. It was always peeta. Other then that I think u were right about the book and its continuity

You are not alone in those thoughts Ambera, I have heard quite a few people who found that ending fitting and brilliant of Suzanne Collins to not take the easy road that tied it all up perfectly. 😀 I didn’t want it perfect – I just somewhere got lost in the ending, too messy so fast and then.. it was over.

I just finished all three books in a matter of days and I have to say I was really disappointed/confused with the ending of Mockingjay. The events were written in a frenzied fashion which made me feel like my eyes were skimming the pages and I couldn’t take in what was happening fully. Too many important characters died, (Finnick!! :(), I wanted Finnick and Annie to have a happy ending- which they deserved, and there was no closure to Gale and Katniss. It felt like Collins wanted to end the book in a hurry and didn’t explain much about their lives- Katniss’ mother, wether Katniss and Gale ever spoke again, what happened to District 12- was it rebuilt? Did everyone have richer lives? The epilogue should have explained more and given closure! I feel that Collins did write the ending symbolically, leaving the reader to come to their own conclusions but with such a prominent love story throughout the trilogy i feel the reader- and the characters, deserved closure and more information! However, albeit my sadness on the ending, which may change after i read it for the second time, the books are brilliant and really capture the reader I couldn’t put them down and the fact that I’m still thinking and talking about them shows just how much an impact they make! Also, reading other comments on this blog has helped me shape a more positive view of the ending so maybe I’m just too narrow minded! Anyway, loved them :)!

i like Peeta as a character, but it just wasn’t right and sometimes even creepy. How could he love here without even knowing her until he already told her he loved her?? yeah, yeah, he saw her as kids…that’s just weird. Another thing that struck me as weird was in “catching fire” when katniss is caring for Gale in her kitchen, Peeta comes out of nowhere (obviously hurt and shows it) and offers to watch him….He can’t even let her take care of Gale, he has to step in, and i had no freakin idea he was in the house….again, really weird. I don’t care if you love someone, that was creepy and would turn me off for sure.

Also, in the end, Katniss goes to the meadow and looks at the spot she always sat with Gale. She thinks of where he is and who he might be kissing. So for me, i think she would have picked Gale if he came back, or heck was even there at the same time. She didn’t even think of Peeta until he came to district 12.

In the end, its really not a romantic story, but i think aside from the war tragedy was the lost relationship with Gale. I think they were trully meant for each other, but life and really crazy things got in their way. maybe the author just ended it quick with gale to really make it tragic. No explanation, no nothing…for the most dramatic effect, trully emphasizing the tragedy.

Sorry for the bad language, i just wanted to get my thoughts out.

Again, nothing bad about Peeta, i just found it kinda weird that he had this unconditional love and just that one scene in the kitchen when he just shows up is almost stalkerish…..

I finished the Hunger Games trilogy yesterday after going through it in a rush. It left me confused and overwhelmed with emotions. I didn’t understand how Katniss could ever vote “Yes” on another Hunger Games with Capitol children. After reading this blog I realized that she actually didn’t. She made up her mind to kill president Coin in this very moment. And Haymitch supported her, knowing what she was up to. I’m no friend of self-justice at all, but in this case I’m with the mockingjay as well. I hated Coin nearly as much as I hated Snow. The way she ran District 13: everyone having a schedule imprinted on the arm, limited food, the lack of distraction and fun. In some kind of way people had a better life back in District 12, despite the fact that they were poor and starving.

I couldn’t decide through book 1 and 2 whether I wanted Katniss end up with Gale or with Peeta. I liked them both very much, even though I guess I preferred Peeta from the beginning. Nevertheless I always thought that Gale and Katniss will be a couple at the end of the story. They were so alike, sharing the same past and the same interests. But as soon as Gale had the possibility and the power he changed and became mean. The avalanche in District 2, the new weapons he invented with Beetee, all that showed that he didn’t care for peoples life anymore. And it doesn’t make a difference if Gale designed the trap in which the Capitol children and the rebel medics died or not. Only knowing that he would have been able plan do such a cruel thing was enough for Katniss to turn away from him forever.

So I’m glad that Katniss got married to Peeta and founded a family with him. He was the one who gave her what she needed to get over things: unconditional love. He helped her to move on. I just wish for an explanation how he could suddenly arrive cured in the victor’s town. Did they find a therapy to heal him in one of the Capitol hospitals or in Snows mansion? I would say so.

I actually don’t see Katniss as a heroine in these books. Of course she was sort of. But it was never her decision. When she volunteered for Prim she had no time to think about any consequences. She was only motivated by the thought of saving Prims life. And from that moment on she was only a token in the game, always forced into a role: first in the arena as tribute, later in the made-up love story with Peeta, finally being the mockingjay for the rebels. I felt so sad when Prim died despite all of what Katniss went through. It showed that you can do whatever you want, you can’t save your loved ones if the people in power have other plans. In fact all Katniss did was for nothing. Not for the people of Panem, but for Prim.

I’m sure I’m going spend plenty of time to think about these books in the next weeks. And I will definitely read them a second time soon. A bit slower maybe so I won’t miss anything.

(Sorry for any spelling or grammar errors. I did my best, but English is not my mother tongue.)

Martina, wonderful thoughts here. I like how you say that Katniss is not the heroine… I guess you are right. She did what she had to do – that made her a hero in our eyes, but not in her own. These books are ones that you will think abut for quite some time – there is so much to think through 🙂

I love GALE!!! I know if Gale was there she would have picked him over peeta. Gale helped Katniss through her life. Peeta gave her bread… that was it. If it was not for Gale she would have been dead. Gale saved Prim on every occasion (like in 13). Katniss thought of gale in the woods, asked about gale, never thought of peeta. Gale was not there only peeta and haymitch were… so she settled for peeta, because he was the only one there. The way ahe descibes Gale with beautiful hands and that Gale is mine and I am his in THG shows that Katnisss loved Gale! TEAM GALE!!!!

Prim- First let me set this straight. Gale did not kill prim. Gale may have helped create a bomb, but had no intension to use it on Prim. Gale saved Prim many times. For example when bombs were dropping on district 13 who went up to save Prim. I was not Katniss… it was Gale. Gale fed Prim while Katniss was at the Hunger Games with Peeta. I think the death of Prim was what the story needed to end. I all began with saving Prim, now that she is gone there is no one to save. Prim died for one reason. It was for Katniss to be upset with Gale, and think that he killed her when Coin did.

Gale- Gale has been my favorite charector in the book scince he first walked in. I did read catching fire befor the hunger games so reading the first one too made me like him even more. I was heartbroken whe Gale truly said that he loved Katniss (not infront of a Capitol crowd to make Katniss look like a fool) and she only said i know. Gale made this book a sad for me. I wanted Gale to end up with who he wanted-Katniss. She never preasured her into him like Peeta did. Or try to strangle her like Peeta did. Gale devoted his life to saving Katniss and her family, but aperently she could not look past something he helped create. Gale belongs with Katniss.

Peeta- what can I say from the start I did not like Peeta. To me Peeta seemed like an interfearence to Katniss’s life. I slowed her down in both games and made her relationship with her best freind confusing. People say Peeta is better because he is the boy with the bread. That is all he is. The boy who can bake a nice roll with cheese on it. At the end Katniss said she needed Peeta’s dandelion. If any one is confused a dandilion is a weed. No one wants a weed in there life. Peeta was a weed inbetween Gale and Katniss. To Peeta – bread goes stale.

Katniss- In mockingjay Katniss became crazy. Katniss is confused on what to do and who to be with. The way Katniss talks about Gale shows that she loved him but is confused on what to do. In book one she said Gale is mine and I am his, anything else is unthinkable. That is a big hint right there. In Catching Fire Katniss talks about how Gale has beautiful hands that entrap her. In mockingjay she needed gale to be with her every step of the way during the rebellion. When Katniss went back home to district 12 she did nothing. In the hunger games Katniss admited that she was jelous of Gale when the girls talked about him. That is why he was the first one she asked about, and automaticaly implyed that he was kissing someone else. Katniss had to settle for what was left. Peeta or Haymitch. She went with the long run and took the boy who tried to strangle her. Katniss did not sincerly love Peeta the way Finnick and Annie loved eachother, she just said to get things over with, to move on with her depressing life.

Finnick- Finnick’s death was very unnesasary. I loved him. I felt bad for Annie because she’s pregnant and she just reunited with Finnick. I really did not want Annie to be crazy again.

Overall this series brought many laughs, tears, and thrill. I became very sad the day after I read it and began re writing it in my head ove and over again. I relize the book will never go in my favor, but If I could only change one thing about it it would be that Gale and Katniss would be together like before.

I agree to 100% about what you wrote about Gale and Katniss… They where ment to be togheter. Peeta to me was allways the despret guy. He was more like a really good friend(firts despret guy than friend I know a little bit crazy) . That could understand her. She allways said that she owned so much to Peeta… But didn’t Gale help Katniss more than Peeta? Many sad that Peeta was the better guy to Katniss…
I just think that the end destoid evrything. Katniss was allways the fighter and the last 50 pages she didn’t care so much anymore. She tooked Peeta because she didn’t have anybody else. She was probobly hijackt like Peeta or something because she made a awful misstake.

Peeta strangled Katniss as he was hikacked! Its exactly the same situation as what Gale faced when coming up with the bombs. The actions taken were under the dictation of the circumstances that they were in. So that’s actually an unfair comparison!

While the dandelion may be a weed to us, In THG, the dandelion is a symbol for hope. Hope is the thing that Katniss needed to go on after all of the misery and death. She opted for the person who gave her hope so that she could start fresh.

hello, I read all three books and saw the movie. I feel that most of the answers to all of the questions is up to the imagination of the reader and the way we interpret what we read. I felt that all of the answers to everyone’s questions are right there in the book. It is up to you the reader to fill in the blanks and read between the lines. The way i imagined things and the way they were betrayed in the movie were different. It was someone else interpretation of the words that were shown in the movie. If the author of the book still has everyone thinking of her/his words after a book is read, then they did their job very well!! That is the joy of reading everyone gets to create a world filled with the way they understand the words to be.

I feel that there was always going to be a team Peeta and a team Gale. At my age 50+ I am openminded about this however I found Gale to be an angry young man who in the end was more interested in his career than he was in Katniss. Peeta I felt was a much more gentle character who loved Katniss unconditionally and had the patience to care for her when she needed it as Katniss said when Peeta was still trying to recover from being hijacked “Because thats what you and I do protect each other”. So I think it was right that she and Peeta ended up together in the end. Peeta “You love me. Real or not real”. Katniss ” Real”. Says it all !!
I did feel however that the final chapters were rushed and we readers were a bit cheated by not being given a proper ending as our questions were not all answered completely. I should like the author two write a fourth book to fully explain certain things. I feel with the mention of their son and daughter in the epilogue that it has been left wide open for a fourth book, maybe Katniss and Peeta need to protect their children from another peril !!!
I hope so!

Well… It was stated clearly from the start that Prim had blond hair, blue eyes.
Anyway, kinda disappointed that Gale and Peeta did not return to district 12 together, as it will be fun to read who she will choose in the end.

I think that Katniss should have ended up with Peeta because if you think about it Even if Gale didn’t set the bomb that killed Prim Katniss knew that Gale came up with the idea and unintentionally killed Prim (sort of) All of you say Gale didn’t mean it and wouldn’t harm Prim in a million years and I agree. He wouldn’t. But Katniss still thinks about the bomb and sees Gale because he made the idea. And Gale knows that Katniss is still hurt by this thought and knows that his chances with Katniss are as good as gone. The reason I think that the ending feels rushed is because ( and credit to the person who thoght up this idea) is that maybe that was the point. In all wars there are questions and feelings unanswered and nothing can change that. Katniss needed not the fire that Gale gave, she alredy had enoug of that. No what she needed was the dandelion in the spring, the hope that everything was going to be alright. This is just my opinion and I hope no-one takes offense to this.
Thank you for reading!

I just finished reading Mockingjay yesterday after a 2 day reading frenzy (my poor neglected kids…). I read the first two back in May/June. I thought they were excellent, a truly gripping read! But the ending left me stunned, reeling with mixed emotions, feeling cheated over a rushed ending and very disappointed initially. I’m still processing it all to be honest. And it has to be a really good book that has that kind of effect on you. Upon reflection I’m not quite so disappointed now, it was still a great read but here is my attempt to untangle my thoughts…
So. Well… I’m just so confused! All the way through Mockingjay I was totally team Gale and was so disappointed that she ended up with Peeta. I really appreciate the idea that you need to be with someone that complements you rather than matches you but I really didn’t feel any more of Peeta’s ‘sunshine’ after what they’d all been through. It felt like he’d been broken and was just a shell of the lovely boy he once was and that whatever he and katniss had had during the games had been shattered. I did have feeling for him and wanted a happy ending for him because he was such a sweet and good person (or a shell of that person anyway) but I just didn’t feel all that much connection between him and Katniss. All along she just seemed to use his affections, when he was around, to suit her own situation. And when he wasn’t there (physically and then mentally) her main thoughts about him seemed centred around guilt rather than genuine care/love. She didn’t even seem to care all that much when they said goodbye at the fur shop and there was every likelyhood he wouldn’t make it out alive! It was Gale that she always wanted by her side. I felt that Delly was a much better match for Peeta – she was so sweet and caring and bright and would have been perfect to help him recover from his game and hijacking horrors. Peeta and Katniss understood what each other had been through in the games but I don’t think that means they were best for helping each other survive and see past it.
And Gale, well he just seemed to be a much better fit for Katniss all round. He had supported her any and every way he could for years whether she was there or not – despite how it must have broken his heart to see her on-screen ‘romance’ with Peeta. Repeatedly saving her and all the things she loved and held dear. And they had such a wonderful connection, he was like her rock that she gained strength and confidence through. But despite loving her, respecting her and doing all he could to protect her he still showed great strength of character by standing up to her when they had a difference of opinion, rather than just giving in. Being such a fiery and rebellious person herself, I think Katniss needed that to help her question her own actions and keep her on course. Despite the fact Gale hadn’t gone through the games with her he still understood how she ticked and what she needed – through years of real experience with her, not just watching her from afar across the school yard. Yes he was fiery and passionate (re his rants to Katniss back when they used to hunt) but that was because he cared so much about how people were treated. To me it felt odd and like some sort of hard to believe character assassination to have him turn so cold and war-mongerish when he had always demonstrated such care and compassion toward those in need (and he had wanted to just run away with Katniss, not stay and fight) – I could accept that he was a bit damaged by the whipping but Peeta, Katniss and others had been through equal or worse. Yes they changed too but within limits that were believable based on their original characters in THG. After the whipping I felt that Gale’s hatred toward the Capital grew stronger but he still had his caring core – demonstrated by his unwavering support of Katniss and how he risked his life to save Prim – whereas if he’d truly been so cold and calculating he wouldn’t have seen the point in doing that. I found it wholly unbelievable that he thought it a good idea to seal up the mountain and kill so many innocent civilians when he had such passion for saving the underdog. It felt more like a convenient way to sideline Gale so that Peeta could win out in the end without leaving the reader too torn. Anyway, even if Collins was hell-bent on getting Peeta to end up with Katniss, I found the abrupt sidelining of Gale to district 2 very unbelievable. After sharing such a deep connection and for so long it seems totally unbelievable that he’d just disappear, without even bothering to say goodbye. It seems odd that he’d turn his back on his home and the people he once loved so much and worked so hard to protect for the sake of a fancy job.
Oh, as a sideline, did anyone else find it a little hard to believe how detached Katniss was during all the making out she did with Peeta and Gale? She was a teenage girl after all, despite a messed up head she still had a body full of hormones surely?! I can’t say I really warmed to Katniss all that much – she was pretty selfish (excepting Prim) throughout the books- but that made her more real in many ways… except for how detached she was about making out.
Anyway, regarding the various other plot points debated in posts above – I too was gutted about Finnick & Prim’s deaths, especially Prim’s. But I guess the point is that war isn’t fair and it doesn’t matter who ‘deserves’ to stay alive and be happy, all too often true love and wonderful people that others have fought so hard to save get killed – abruptly or awfully and with no time for proper goodbyes. It was hard to swallow but a far more real outcome than most books that pandy more to the reader’s hopes. I still feel devastated about losing those two though.
I was shocked that Katniss voted ‘yes’ to another hunger games. But as I read it (before I read this blog) I figured she had already come to the conclusion that Coin was as dangerous a dictator as Snow and had decided she had to be killed. I agree that she knew Haymitch would catch her drift and support her vote, guessing what she planned to do and that they had to support Coin in order to pull off the assassination. Katniss realises she has to kill Coin when Snow told her it was Coin’s idea to sacrifice the children and her own rebel medics in order to seal Snow’s death warrant. Initially Katniss didn’t want to believe Snow, wanting to think he was lying to manipulate her out of killing him. But he reminded her that they never lied to each other – so she knew he was telling the truth and that Coin was behind Prim’s death a) for authorising Prim to be on the front line and b) setting a trap that would kill her and in doing so would just about destroy Katniss (she was Coin’s biggest threat after all). Boggs had already set alarm bells ringing in Katniss’s head about Coin when he warned her to be careful who she trusted.
I don’t think Katniss literally believed Gale killed Prim via the bomb but she found it hard to forgive the fact that it was his original idea that allowed that trap to be developed and deployed (by someone else). I think in time she could have let that go especially given how many times Gale had saved Prim for her over the years. And I think Gale would have been devastated how his idea had been used in such a heartless way, against the people he had tried so hard to protect. It probably would have gone a long way to tempering his pragmatic view of sacrificing a few for the greater good. I think both Katniss & Gale started out THG with a very black & white view of good and bad, right and wrong (as you do when you’re a teenager/early twenties and you know everything) and this war was a series of brutal lessons about how many grey areas there are in life, especially when power and ‘the greater good’ is concerned.
I think Collins did a good job of depicting how damaged people can get going through such traumatic experiences – that it’s not just about physically surviving but also keeping a grip on reality at the end of it all. And that ‘sanity’ is a very grey area. I suppose it made sense that Katniss went back to District 12 but I also found it sad and a bit hard to believe since there was so little there left to call ‘home’ – with Prim gone and her mum far away and Gale too, what was the appeal? Her hunting spots just reminder her of missing Gale, I never felt she had much attachment to the house that was a reminder of the hunger games and Prim, Haymitch was hardly joyous company, and Peeta… well it felt like she ended up with him out of convenience just because he was there and she was too messed up to love anyone properly anymore. I loved the cat coming back and helping her heal – that bit really made me cry for Prim, before then I’d been too shocked to really absorb her death. I was glad she went on to have children but the narration was a bit cold and so didn’t hold the level of hope and ‘sunshine after the storm’ that I’d been needing to feel proper closure at the end of this epic.
I’m looking forward to seeing the movie(s). I hope they wrap up the ending a bit better and make Gale a more believable character (relative to his original one) – although I’m a little scared at how brutal seeing the horror of all the action and deaths will be as I’m sure I glossed over the details as I read to protect myself!

It’s been a long time since your comment but I have to say that as I was reading it, I could only think that I completely agree with every single of your thoughts! That was what made me read it all (quite a long comment) but I didn’t mind! I even wrote my alternative finale where Katniss ends up with Gale, and Peeta presumably with Delly (I leave that open though). If you feel like reading it (it’s just a couple of scenes), here’s the link! http://rachel1204.wordpress.com/

Love the HG series! I think it’s one of the greatest books i’ve ever read! The movie was good too! IF you want a spoiler… Prim dies probably a bomb? IDK i really don’t remember but Finnick dies too. Katniss and Peeta get married but i am still on team GALE! But i really don’t get this whole team thing that’s related to TWILIGHT…. First team jacob vs Edward aka (JACOB!!!!) and then comes Peeta and Gale i mean cmon it’s really annoying folks. Plus it’s the hunger games not Twilight who cares who she picks. ( AKA: Still wish for Gale but please don’t insult. Katniss is the best female ever! She is not wimpy and she is a BADASS! Still i would have written a different ending and make Prim SURVIVe…. Sobs Poor PRIM! I am not digging it this one kid said that he wanted to have a hunger games in real life and i was like in my head are YOU CRAZY! He said he’d make the feature a real life hunger games! UH uhh uh kid… Yeah the Hunger Games is a great movie with the side effects as great as the Harry Potter’s but much better! The suspense was great and the action was good but the music didn’t match. Great settings also! The actors Jennifer Lawernce and Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth did a nice job! COngrats!… I was reallly pissed off when they didn’t get A GRAMMY award because the Hunger Games deserved one. The rue dying thing should have been made a little bit more depressing so people wouldn’t laugh because in the movie two people were laughing at the scene when rue died. I mean they were sick about laughing when someone died. AKA! I AM KATNISS! Rue is my friend and please do not laugh. I choose Peeta and i was also in love with Gale but i married PEETA Punks get over the boy obsession! I have bows and arrows! And you did my look great and the BLONDIE did a nice job. Plus please quit making fun of TWILIGHT I am friends with Bella swan as well as MAXIMUM RIDE! please no teams for that movie or i am going to write a huge review about why teams make me angry. i mean cm’on everyone knows who we pick although BElLLA CAN BE A BIT USLESS…. The accents were good as welll although EFFIE looked a little creepy no insults EFF. Can’t wait for catching fire! It’s gonna be so intense! Finnick looked even more better in the movie pictures than in real life… YOU guys made a better lookin PEETA aka my man! I hunt
really well. The careers were foucused on a little bit too much though and the tributes had a little less stardom… HOW SAD! I especially loved the ending when they showed prisident snow’s creepy eyes! I did not see that coming!

AKA Even though i married peeta and he is still my man i am still on team gale!

1. Peeta- The boy with the bread and bread is alright but huntiing can help your family survive. He betrayed Katniss for the careers and almost ended up strangeling her when Gale never left her alone and tried to protect her the best way he could when you were hypnotized by the capitol

Prim- Gale did not kill PRiM COIN did and she bombed her while she was trying to save a child’s life. Actually KAtniss and Gale\peeta were trying to protect PRIM and while Katniss was in the games Gale took care of Katniiss family leaving them not to starve as well as his family.

Finnick- Finnick’s death was sad and Gale was very upset about it while PEETA Didn’t even give a ___***_ about it! Everyone was deepky upset.

Annie- Annie and Gale did have a very close relationship and tried to help her when Peeta tried to make her cheat on Finnick.

The hunger games- Gale helped Katniss’s family survive when Katniss was battling to the death. He hunted for her family and fed his family and took care of PRIM due to Katniss’s promise in which he kept.

The rebellion: While peeta was hypnotized by the capitol Gale protected Katniss and made her feel not alone. He even gave her the courage to stand up to Coin and to become the MOCKINGJAy.

Katniss- Gale took care of you and protected you! What weere you thinking when you choose peeeta!

1. The whole series is about the relationship of Katniss and Peeta.
2. All problems Katniss and Peeta have leave you more surprised at the end when they end up together and that’s what Collins is looking for.
3. If you say that Peeta had to die,… What happened was as “the worst always happens to the best people”. Because it was something that happened with Peeta, it was not because he decided to become evil and hate Katniss, happened because he was brainwashed.
4. You are fools to believe that after the death of Prim, Gale and Katniss could be together.
5. Gale was vindictive and what Katniss needed to succeed was peace, and Peeta gave her peace.
6. Katniss in Mockingjay, LOVED PEETA.
7. Gale going to District 2 without saying anything. In short, abandoned Katniss.
8. For Katniss it was impossible to forget all the things Peeta told her in Catching Fire and she was very hurt because she thought Peeta was not coming back. Neither Peeta thought, so he wanted to die to not feel bad about himself. WANTED TO DIE! So if at the end again, this would surprise and delight. And he didn’t came out of nowhere, came after months of being treated.
9. Peeta does not look anything like Katniss, which makes a great combination and Collins must believe that. However, she and Gale are totally similar.
10. And finally. PEETA WAS A BETTER PERSON GALE. He was sweet and had no problem expressing his feelings for her. Gale nothing to do.

Spot on! It was also apparent that she loves Peeta in CF when she was thinking about the happiness of his future child. Even when she states that chooses “Gale and rebelion”, she’s still determined not to have children with him and has no remorse over it (even though Gale stated he might be interested in having family). As for Peeta, she thinks he deserve better than she can give.

I think she doesn’t love Gale more than a good friend and above all father figure. Gale’s reminding her father and for that reason she feel secure around him. She has a big problem with making intimate connections, since from her experience love makes you weak (her mother) and hurt (herself after father’s death) as you became dependent from something you can lose. So she doesn’t want any changes (I mean with Gale) and therefore she’s running away from Peeta’s love as she’s drawn to him in a way that scares her.

Katniss final choise is not merely between two guys but rather their mindsets. She starts near to Gale’s kind but than begin to know Peeta and sees world through his eyes which enriches her and make more mature. She sees compexity of the world and people while Gale is 100% blind to such nuances. She even use Peeta’s kind of manipulation when it comes to Coin and Games (yes, yes, it was deliberate). She compare herself and others to Peeta because of attraction towards his genuine, trusting and sincere nature (somehow similar to Prim’s). And she felt for him from the beginning but was afraid to trust his love is real, not just a part of Haymitch’s strategy. Then things get complicated.

The books are hardly objective, since they’re from Katniss’s perspective, so it can be tricky to read between the lines. It’s sometimes funny (and annoying) how she’s blind to her true feelings as well as misinterprets others motives. But it’s also very human.

I like the books but I really did not like the third because Prim dies and Peeta becomes mad and insane. I really didn’t like how everyone was dying. I am glad she killed Pres. Coin. I hated how Gale and Katniss mother went to another district and she was left alone.
I wished you wouldn’t of killed Prim and made Peeta go mad and think Katniss is bad but I still liked it. They were all really good books. And the whole point was to keep Prim alive so I was kind of mad about that. I am also team Peeta so I am kind of glad they where together. But what happened to Gale’s family and I really liked Gale and Katniss together.

Honestly, I am team Gale. It was rather unexpected since I usually go with the more sweet and sensitive kind of characters. But I think that Gale affected me more and that he should’ve been shown a lot more in the book! Even though some people see him as a heartless rebel, I really don’t! I think that if he got the chance to be with Katniss, he would have been seen as a sweet guy who not only cares A LOT about Katniss, but also about the country of Panem. I can only imagine how much hurt he might have gone through, watching Katniss on the screen kissing Peeta. Or seeing Kat’s and Peeta’s growing relationship. Peeta seemed to be stealing Katniss away from Gale. Peeta was rather pushy about Katniss being his lover, but meanwhile Gale remained patient. Waiting -hoping- for a day that his dream girl would come to him; but sadly that day never happened. Again, imagine the pain Gale must have gone through. Maybe his whole act with the rebellion was a way to deal with his pain? Even though it seems like at the end of the book Gale left Katniss, I don’t think he ever really did. It seems right if Katniss had gone with Gale, not Peeta.

Gale blows his chances right at the start of THG by failing to volunteer at the reaping when Peeta Mellark’s name is called.
Seconds earlier, he has witnessed Katniss virtually sacrifice herself – she certainly has no real hope of winning the Games at that point – for the love of her sister.
He makes no such choice. Certainly, his hunting and trapping experience – not to mention his ability to work together with Katniss as a team – would be far more useful in the arena than anything Peeta would be able to contribute to her survival. Obviously Katniss has no such expectation that Gale should do such a thing, but I have to admit that I was at least half-expecting that he would do so, on first reading the book. Instead, he seems content to reassure Katniss that he will do whatever he can to make sure that her mother and sister don’t starve, and tells her that she has a chance of winning, thanks to her hunting skills.
On the other hand, we soon get the impression that Peeta has long harboured an unconditional love for Katniss and even as a young child was prepared to sustain damage – from his mother, when he deliberately burned bread to bring to her – in order to help Katniss.
It soon becomes apparent that he is prepared to lay down his life in order that she survive the arena (in a way that Gale was not), and hatches sophisticated plans with Haymitch in order to achieve this goal, including ingratiating himself with the highly dangerous ‘Career’ Tributes to achieve some degree of control over the ultimate fate of Katniss.
To my mind, Gale is never able to match this kind of unconditional commitment (although he briefly had the opportunity) and when Haymitch tells Katniss that she could live a hundred lifetimes and still not deserve Peeta, it’s difficult to disagree. For me, this tortuous romance was only ever heading in one direction.

Well, I’m team Peeta but I am really sad about the ending. I mean just because everything I’ve read as a different epilouge was team Gale, I’m not saying it was wrong, but it just didn’t make sense. Katniss herself felt awkward about liking Gale and she was really upset the many times Peeta nearly died. In the end, if I was Katniss, who I do resemble in personality (not looks) I would pick Peeta. But not like that, my perception of life with Peeta wouldn’t be to have kids, I would just stare into his eyes until the blue washed me away like an ocean. I would still hunt with Gale, and visit him in district 2 very often, but as friends, that is what it always was, and will be. Both Katniss and I undoubtedly loved Peeta.

To me, Peeta was a follower. He was overshadowed by Katniss strength. It was she who kept them both alive during the games. I felt as if Peeta leaned on Katniss strength, rather than develop his own. In reflection, when Peeta gave Katniss the burned bread, he threw it to her, in the rain. Wet burned bread that was meant for pigs. I don’t find anything heroic about that. A hero would have at least gone to her with the ruined bread, or found a way to bring her family bread as often as he could. Peeta surely would have died in the games. Katniss sought Peeta out in the first games as a way to keep them alive and end the game. She found Peeta, found him waiting to die. Peeta followed her leadership, and they both lived.

On the other hand, Gale daily put himself in danger hunting with Katniss, providing food for both of their families. The morning of the reaping, he asked Katniss to go away with him, flee to the woods. Bring the families to start a new life. I felt Peeta kept waiting for his life to start with Katniss, and then told her there would be no life for him without her. Talk about a guilt trip. When Katniss said no to Gale on the morning of the reaping, he listened. In her absence, he continued to lead her family. Peeta needed Katniss, Gale wanted her.

Peeta was broken before the games due to his dominating mother. Gale was broken before the games due to a system that both killed his father and daily threatened to kill his family. However, Gale was ready to stand up for himself and for those he loved. I never found that strength in Peeta.

Katniss fought just as hard for Gale as she did for Peeta. Keeping Peeta alive was a survival strategy, keeping Gale alive was a choice. I wanted very much for Katniss to choose Gale. Gale could lead her, allowing her to lean on his strength throughout her recovery. Peeta continually pursued Katniss until the end, he did love her, but I believe selfishly. He had no life without Katniss. In the end! With Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch living alone in Victor’s Village, that seemed cruel to me. They all worked feverishly to survive, but then appeared to have nothing to live for.

In the end, I felt Mockingjay was rushed and wrapped up way too quickly. The author in her brilliance completely brings you into her story. There were many characters she brought us to love, but ultimately we knew nothing of their fate. That was a disappointment. I wanted to know much more about Gale, Johanna, Katniss mother, and Haymitch.

I wanted Katniss to be stronger in Mockingjay. It was hard to watch her slowly breakdown. The first book gave us our hero. Mockingjay took our hero. The first two books were haunting, and I loved the movies. I was saddened by the final book and don’t know if I will watch the movie.

Whoa, can’t get out of it. The book and the movie still lingers in my head. Maybe this is The Hangover Games. haha. But I very super duper love and like that. I can say that Im THG addict. Every time I surf I just can’t help but surf more about the story, the characters and everything. And the movie Hunger games and Catching Fire did very great. The actors in the movie describe what’s in the book.
I’m crazy about the love story of Peeta and Katniss. That’s played by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, they look great together. How I wish they will have a love story movie together. I’m just in love with their tandem. Can you guys help me suggest that thought to who anyone from Hollywood, or who ever should be in charge for this? Whoa this is the Hunger Games fever. Also can’t wait for the Mockingjay movie.

You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something that I think I
would never understand. It seems too complicated and very
broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the
hang of it!

I can not believe that Prim died and Peeta was HIJACKED, that killed me. I was so depressed after i read this book. This is the FINAL book and it was the saddest of them all. WHY MAKE IT SAD!! Most of the book was just Gale and Katniss, i was hoping for Peeta and Katniss. They should of rescued him right when they got there, no training Katniss has skill already! I do not like Gale, most people like him because he is good looking, but i think Peeta is cuter. Gale always just has to kiss her for some reason. Peeta has a hard life, he has no one that wants him or needs him, just Katniss. I think that is sad. Gale he has those things! Peeta needs katniss, Gale he does not need her he just wants her! So Gale get off!! Go kiss some other lips jeez. And why does katniss go with the flow while he just kisses her. She loves Peeta! She needs to get together and think about Peeta. Also gale suggests KILLING PEETA! He is just jealous he needs to be happy for katniss, but he instead is not, but dislikes Peeta for it! Just back off Gale! Peeta has been there for HER, Gale has just been for her FAMILY. And katniss has been there for Peeta to. Why don’t they ever talk in public, why GALE?! She is so stubborn! I don’t think i can bare watching the movie i will cry the whole time. I hate how it is TWO parts. I CANT WAIT FOR PART 2 NOV. 21 2015!! OR PART ONE I JUST CAN’T!! But i hope they add some stuff into it that the book does not have. I am very upset with this book. 😦 i watched the trailer for it and i cried. I watched Peeta losing his mind on you tube and i punched my desk and cried my stomach in a knot! I love Peeta. TEAM PEETA!!! THE HUNGER GAMES IS MY LIFE!!

Hunger games is life to me and this book brought me down now after reading the book I just feel like crying for the rest of my life because I basically live of the hunger games. If katniss will stick up for the boy she loves then I will but it’s not right when you know deep down in your heart you love someone YOU DONT GO OFF AND KISS ANOTHER GUY! Btw katniss you ruined my chance of life in this last movie. Btw again I LOVE! PEETA he is so cute gale isn’t my number one dream is to one day meet Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.

Honestly, I’m totally team Gale. I knew it from the beginning to the end. The end was really sweet and all but I’m curious of what will happen with the rest of all of there live. I would love a book or a movie that ended with everyone dieing so i wouldn’t be so curious about the lives of the rest of the character.
I am a very curious and observant person so if it dosen’t end with everyone diring then I will write another book with it ending like that. But most authors don’t have to worry about me trashing their books because I really don’t read that many books. This was the only book that I couldn’t put down.
Also would it hurt authors to change it up a bit because it’s like every movie u see and every book u read it all ends the same way. The good guy wins the bad looses. Couldn’t the middle character win every once and a will. And what about the bad guy the hero always sends him home broken ,hurt , in pain , or dead. If their Heros then they help the ones who are hurt , in pain , and broken. And Heros don’t kill people they save them. So don’t u think it seems a little messed up. I mean give the bad guy a chance to win. Just cuz he is bad dose not mean he is destined to loose.
Just think of the last books u read the last movies u saw they all ended with the bad guy loosing. How about we change that and give the bad guy a chance to win.😋

you shouldve ended it with gale because gale and katniss were the first introduced to us and through out the books i wished shed been out with gale instead of peeta plus in the movie gale suites katniss and hes more manly than peeta

I honestly was not a fan of Gale to be honest I hated him he seemed so angry and frustrated most of the time and Peeta is sweet kind and considerate I too was upset about the Cinna part he deserved more of the spotlight but prims death was confusing and the book wasn’t the best hunger games book either…🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹